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Bhubaneswar: A day after BJD spokesperson Shreemayee Mishra alleged that the National Monuments Authority (NMA) and the ASI are trying to restrain the developmental drive in the Ekamra Kshetra, the State unit of BJP on Thursday counter-attacked Odisha government saying that it is instead demeaning the rich heritage and culture of the State.
Addressing a presser, BJP State General Secretary Lekha Samantasinghar said, Odisha government is trying to create a wrong image in the minds of the people that Centre is against Odisha culture and heritage which is a blatant lie.
"The excavations by Odisha government near Suka Sari Temple, which is even more ancient than Puri Lord Jagannath and Lingaraj Temples using bulldozers, is a stark violation of the archaeological excavation protocols. As per the rules, the excavated materials whatever their condition be, they should be preserved in the best way possible but Odisha government even went to such an extent as to sell the artefacts," alleged Samantasinghar.
If Odisha government is so worried, I want to ask them only one question. Is this the proper way to save our rich heritage," questioned the BJP leader.
The political mudslinging between the parties comes just days after Union Minister of Culture Prahlad Singh Patel clarified that even though the draft heritage bylaws for Puri Srimandir has been withdrawn but the same is yet to be done for Lord Lingaraj Temple and some other ancient shrines in the Ekamra Kshetra.
The development which sparked protests in the State Capital city took a new turn as Khordha District Collector, who is the president of Lord Lingaraj Temple Trust Board, also requested NMA member secretary to immediately withdraw the draft notification for heritage bylaws for the 11th-century shrine.
But the most crucial point here is that still now the NMA is yet to issue the heritage bylaws for the Lingaraj Temple. The draft note seeking public suggestions has only been published for Ananta Basudev Temple.
On Thursday, four servitor groups of Lingaraj Temple held a press meeting reiterating their demands before the NMA for withdrawal of the draft notification within 24 hours.
The nijog members have also urged both the Centre and the State to stop politicising the issue. "Political game over the matter is playing spoilsport in the development of the temple. We urge the NMA to withdraw from releasing any sort of draft notification of bylaws for the Lingaraj Temple without consultation with all stakeholders," said Biranchi Pati, the secretary of Brahman Nijog in Lingaraj Temple.
